Breakfast with Scuba Santa (Camden) 

There are a million “Breakfast with Santa” opportunities, but only one that offers up Santa in scuba gear. It’s slightly pricey, but you also get to spend the day at Adventure Aquarium, one of our favorite spots. Throw in pancakes, photo ops, crafts and Old St. Nick with a snorkel and you’ve got some serious holiday fun. December 11 and 12, 9am to 10:30am. $38.95/Adults, $34.95/Children. Call 856-365-3300 for more information and reservations.

Holiday Family Workshop (Hamilton) 

Grounds for Sculpture is always about combining fun with function and at the Holiday Family Workshop, you’ll create your own holiday packaging, gift boxes and cards. This drop-in workshop takes place on Saturday, December 11 from 1 to 3pm. Free with admission price of $12/Adults $8/Children. Call 609-586-0616 for more information.

Reindeer Games (Cherry Hill) 

We always like events at museums, because it’s a good two-for-one deal. Garden State Discovery Museum is fun on its own, and when you add Rudolph and Ellie the Elf and The Big Red Guy himself stopping by for milk and cookies, you’re sure to get in the holiday spirit. Saturday, December 11 at noon, free with admission price of $10.95. Call 856-424-1233.

Summit Puppet Shows and Carriage Rides 

Downtown Summit is alive with the sounds of Christmas. There are festivities all weekend long, our two favorites being holiday puppet shows on Sunday, December 12 at 12:30pm and 2pm and horse and carriages rides 12:30pm to 2:30pm, both FREE. Seriously, this is a deal, folks—you know how much a carriage ride is in Central Park? So not free. Call 908-277-6100 for more information.

22nd Annual Kwanzaa Celebration (Montclair)

Amidst all the Santa Clauses, it’s nice to see a bit of Kwanzaa. The Montclair Public Library’s annual celebration celebrates community spirit with the Usaama Dance Company, a libation ceremony, crafts, and an African Market with books, clothes and artifacts. Saturday, December 11, market starts at 12pm, Celebration starts at 1 pm. FREE. Call 973-744-0500.

Dickens Village Events (Maplewood) 

Goodbye, stuffy business district, Hello, Dickensian Christmas. Maplewood turns the local business community into a festive holiday village complete with carriage rides, breakfast with Santa, live Reindeer from Edelweiss Farms, story hour, and the Strollers Theatre Group Carolers. Saturday, Dec 11; Breakfast with Santa at 9:30am, village events at 1 pm. Breakfast with Santa is $10 per guest, but everything else is FREE.

Thomas Edison National Historic Park (West Orange)

On December 11 at 11:30am and 2:30pm you can learn about Thomas Edison's small phonographs for talking dolls and even design your own paperdolls. Admission $7 for adults, kids under 16 free. Reservations are required for the December 11 event - call 973 736 0550 ext 89.

Rutgers Faraway Christmas Children's Physics Lecture (Piscataway)

And for something a little different, attend the Children's Christmas Lecture, originally founded in 1826 at London's Royal Institution. The whole goal here is to get kids all excited about scientific discovery. In keeping with the spirit of the original lectures, physics professors at Rutgers put on a spectacular demonstration and lecture for kids of all ages each December. This year's fun is scheduled for December 10, 11 and 12 at 7pm.  FREE.  Ages 5 and up.

For more holiday outing ideas, see our Holiday Guide.